Proverbs 17
1 Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
Better is a dry morsell, if peace be with it, then an house full of sacrifices with strife.
2 A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
A discrete seruant shall haue rule ouer a lewde sonne, and hee shall deuide the heritage among the brethren.
3 A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
As is the fining pot for siluer, and the fornace for golde, so the Lord trieth the heartes.
4 A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
The wicked giueth heed to false lippes, and a lyer hearkeneth to the naughtie tongue.
5 He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
Hee that mocketh the poore, reprocheth him, that made him: and he that reioyceth at destruction, shall not be vnpunished.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.
Childres children are the crowne of the elders: and the glory of ye children are their fathers.
7 Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
Hie talke becommeth not a foole, much lesse a lying talke a prince.
8 A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
A rewarde is as a stone pleasant in the eyes of them that haue it: it prospereth, whithersoeuer it turneth.
9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.
Hee that couereth a transgression, seeketh loue: but hee that repeateth a matter, separateth the prince.
10 A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
A reproofe entereth more into him that hath vnderstanding, then an hundreth stripes into a foole.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
A sedicious person seeketh onely euill, and a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
12 It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.
It is better for a man to meete a beare robbed of her whelpes, then a foole in his follie.
13 If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
He that rewardeth euil for good, euil shall not depart from his house.
14 To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
The beginning of strife is as one that openeth the waters: therefore or the contention be medled with, leaue off.
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous— both are detestable to the LORD.
He that iustifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the iust, euen they both are abomination to the Lord.
16 Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
Wherefore is there a price in the hand of the foole to get wisdome, and he hath none heart?
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
A friende loueth at all times: and a brother is borne for aduersitie.
18 A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
A man destitute of vnderstanding, toucheth the hande, and becommeth suretie for his neighbour.
19 He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
He loueth transgression, that loueth strife: and he that exalteth his gate, seeketh destruction.
20 The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
The froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a naughtie tongue, shall fall into euill.
21 A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
He that begetteth a foole, getteth himselfe sorow, and the father of a foole can haue no ioy.
22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
A ioyfull heart causeth good health: but a sorowfull minde dryeth the bones.
23 A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosome to wrest the wayes of iudgement.
24 Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
Wisdome is in the face of him that hath vnderstanding: but the eyes of a foole are in the corners of the world.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
A foolish sonne is a griefe vnto his father, and a heauines to her that bare him.
26 It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.
Surely it is not good to condemne the iust, nor that ye princes should smite such for equitie.
27 A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
Hee that hath knowledge, spareth his wordes, and a man of vnderstanding is of an excellent spirit.
28 Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.
Euen a foole (when he holdeth his peace) is counted wise, and hee that stoppeth his lips, prudent.
